Review of Verizon Wireless DROID Eris
The DROID is popular now, last month I looked at the Motorola DROID from Verizon Wireless and this month they’ve sent me its little cousin the DROID Eris for review. I’ve been using the DROID Eris now for more than a couple weeks and I have to honestly say that I’m glad to be putting it back in its box. The DROID Eris is just most frustrating and annoying phone I’ve ever used to date. It’s slow and the interface is just clunky and annoying. Everything you do with this phone seems to strain the processor, and it all just feels like it takes too much time to get anything done. They’re really aren’t many redeeming qualities to this phone, call quality isn’t that great and the camera isn’t too good either. Sure it’s a low priced phone, but I’d rather spend a bit more money and get a phone that works when and how it should.
We’ll start with the unboxing video first off:
..and some still pictures of course:
It comes with the USB cable for both charging and syncing:
The charger has a folding power adapter and a USB connection on the other end to charge the DROID Eris.
The DROID Eris is small and very lightweight phone, I was very surprised by just how much it weighed.
It’s a phone with minimal buttons on it, many of the functions are performed through the touch screen. There is a trackball at the bottom between the send and end buttons. Above the trackball is a series of touch sensitive buttons for navigation as well.
On the back you’ll find the 5mp camera and the Google logo
On the top is a 3.5mm jack, and on the bottom you’ll find the USB connection while the right side is where the volume up and down buttons are located.
The back cover just pops off to reveal the battery compartment and on the side is where the included microSD card goes.
Specifications:
Take customization to a whole new level. Create and switch between Scenes that reflect different moments in your life. Phones can often define their users. With the DROID ERIS by HTC, it’s the other way around. Experience the first phone that’s designed around the freedom of being you.
Make it mine. Stay close. Discover the unexpected.
Now operating on the Android platform, the new Droid Eris by HTC combines performance and functionality in one sleek package. Eris offers the HTC Sense UI on a 3.2”, touch screen zoom capability, a virtual QWERTY keyboard, and a 3.5mm headset jack in addition to the Virtual Keys (Home, Menu, Back, Search). The ultra–slim Eris can filter your Inbox, and stay connected securely with your office via HTC Sync. Take advantage of WiFi connectivity and its 5MP camera w/auto focus and video capture. Social networking is a breeze with easy access to your Favorite contacts, YouTube and Facebook. The Droid Eris by HTC is the ultimate in customizable handset that puts the customer at the center and it’s all about you, you, and you…
Experience the DROID ERIS by HTC
Design
* 3.2″ 320×480 HVGA resolution, 262K–color TFT LCD Touchscreen
* Virtual QWERTY Keyboard
* Bluetooth® v2.0 + EDR — Supported Profiles: Headset (HSP), Hands–free (HFP), Stereo Audio, Phonebook Access
* 5 Megapixel camera with auto–focus and video capture
Music
* Create and manage playlists
* Headset: 3.5mm Audio Jack
* Audio Formats Supported: Unprotected AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, MP3
General
* Android 1.5 OS; Google Experience Device
* Integrated Google, Exchange and Facebook contacts
* Push Gmail and Exchange
* Pre–installed 8GB microSD, up to 16GB supported
* Speakerphone
* Advanced Speech Recognition
* Embedded Ringtones, vibrate alert and silent
* Phonebook capacity dependent upon available memory
* GPS/e911
* TTY compatible
* Hearing Aid Compatibility = M3/T3
* Total Equipment Coverage is Available
Specifications
* Dual Band CDMA2000 1xRTT/1xEVDO/1xEVDO Rev A (800/1900 MHz)
* Memory: ROM: 512MB, RAM: 288MB DDR
* Qualcomm® MSM7600™ Processor, 528MHz
* Dimensions: 4.45″ (H) x 2.19″ (W) x 0.51″ (D)
* Weight: 4.23 ounces
* Usage Time: Up 214 minutes OR
* Standby Time: Up to 373 hours
* SAR: Head: 1.19 W/kg; Body: 0.78 W/Kg
2-yr Contract Price: $179.99
Online Discount: -100.00
Your Price: $79.99
Verizon Special:
Buy the DROID ERIS by HTC and Get One FREE!
-with 2yr activation per phone
Lowest Price: $9.99 with new service plan at Amazon
I’ve been using this phone for over two weeks and I have to say that I just don’t like it at all.
It’s one of the most frustrating and non-intuitive phones that I’ve ever used. It’s a shame that it bears the DROID name as it doesn’t even come close to the functionality and usability of the Motorola DROID.
Here’s a video of the interface and some of my thoughts:
As you can see I’ve got no love for this phone at all.
I still can’t believe that I tried to make a call and got the ‘All Circuits Busy’ message. It was a rather important call that I had to make but I couldn’t make it with the DROID Eris. I picked up my AT&T Tilt and the call went through the first time with no issues at all.
The DROID Eris interface is clunky and just downright frustrating. It’s annoying with all of the pop-up prompts that just don’t seem to want to go away either. When you make a call it will ask you if you want to save the contact, even if you say don’t ask me again it still will ask you again the next time. I actually found myself cursing at this phone, my kids were looking at me like what’s wrong with you?!?! There were times I honestly wanted to throw it against the wall and just smash it to pieces.
The number pad and the keyboard are just as annoying, everything just seems very close together. I kept hitting other number and letters, basically everything I did I had to go back and fix it. It’s just not very finger friendly.
The call quality was ok, but that was about it, just ok. many times people would have to ask me to repeat myself and I would have to ask them to repeat what they said. The call quality is just not that good. As far as signal quality I rarely saw above two bars of signal strength.
As far as web browsing is concerned, well the browser didn’t work half of the time, I’d touch the browser button and it would just go to a blank screen and nothing would happen. I got the updates that were available but still it didn’t work all of the time.
The interface itself is annoying, sometimes it would take 5 or 6 swipes to get the phone unlocked, it just doesn’t seem to be sensitive enough to work correctly.
There are times also when the interface would just lag or stop like it was loading something, you’d have to wait. It was for the simplest of things that this would happen like trying to make a phone call, I’d hit the call button and have to wait for the dialer to appear. Everything just seems to take a long time on this phone. Part of it has to do with the slow processor, but then again maybe not. My AT&T Tilt running which is the HTC TyTn II that runs Windows Mobile is over two years old and has a 400Mhz processor and it’s faster and more responsive than the new DROID Eris with it’s 528Mhz CPU.
The battery life seemed fine to me, I mean I got the rated battery life though 214 minutes of talk time isn’t that much that’s just a little over three hours.
I like HTC products, but I don’t know what happened here, if it is the phone itself or the Android interface that’s causing the problems with it.
Taking pictures with the DROID Eris I half expected decent ones, outdoors yes I got nice pictures but indoors even with a lot of light the pictures were very bad. I tried to hold the phone as still as possible but still the pictures are bad.
Here’s the one I took in my car in the sunlight basically, they’re nice and crisp and clear:
Now here’s the ones indoors. With these pictures I had the lights on and the window blinds open to even get more light in, but still they’re pretty bad. Close up, far away they’re equally bad.
Conclusion:
The DROID Eris is a low priced phone, it’s a budget priced phone that should appeal to those wanting to jump on the Android bandwagon. It’s a thin and lightweight phone that seems well made.
Other than its low price, the DROID Eris really has no real redeeming qualities whatsoever in terms of usefulness. If you want an Android based phone than do yourself a big favor and get the Motorola Droid, trust me you’ll be much happier.
I’m truly disappointed with this phone, I had high hopes for it, especially after reviewing the Motorola DROID. I was expecting something similar, but it’s not even close.
Pros:
+Gets the rated talk time
+Seems well made
+Thin and lightweight
+Low price
Cons:
-Slow and just frustrating to use
-Clunky interface
-Short talk time or battery life
-Not very finger friendly
-Poor call quality
-Poor picture quality
-Poor signal
| Grades: | |
| Overall |  |
| Design |  |
| Performance |  |
This product was given to TestFreaks for review by the company for review purposes only, and is not considered by us as payment for the review, we do not, and never will, accept payment from companies to review their products. To learn more about our review policy please visit this page HERE.
Wow. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone, ANYONE, have this much negativity over the Droid Eris. On the contrary, most technical reviewers give the Eris high marks, many even preferring it to its big brother the Motorola Droid. I must admit, I am biased, I have the Eris and aside from issues with Verizon signal strength at my place of work, I love this phone. My phone never freezes, I am able to customize it like no other device made, and the Android market gives me limitless pleasure.
I love my Eris. Maybe you just got a bad one?
I’m researching this phone, and other than the fact that you couldn’t use the keyboard well (which is a matter of your fingers and dexterity) your review of this phone is weak. You were critical of the Verizon service, which living in NJ I can tell you is BY FAR the best service around. I have several friends who have AT&T and they drop call very frequently.
You failed to go into the capabilities of the phone….just that it was “slow” – I’ve read if you use the Google Widgets instead, the phone performs much better. None of the other features that make a smartphone “smart” were covered….
You might as well have been reviewing a Motorola Moto.
I’m shocked that you would sell yourself as a reviewer. I suggest you start going deeper into the phone’s capabilities. OS 1.5 differences vs. Droid, e-mail capabilities, browser performance (flash enabled?), etc. You also failed to mention that this phone is a variant of the HTC Hero, which is a very highly rated phone.
Again, I don’t own this phone, but found your review on it utterly useless. Your opinion is unfounded and you ramble for 2 minutes, then 4 minutes on how the box is packaged (who cares?!? about that…seriously…) then on how you couldn’t get a call through, something of your kids’ daycare. ….that is a Verizon issue…clearly tied to your locale. You mention “call quality is OK”….but other than that…you go into nothing….you mention that the phone is asking you to “do things all the time”….well? what things? What value did you add to your viewers? Ugh.
Hi Bill..
I did elaborate on why the phone was ’slow’
“There are times also when the interface would just lag or stop like it was loading something, you’d have to wait. It was for the simplest of things that this would happen like trying to make a phone call, I’d hit the call button and have to wait for the dialer to appear. Everything just seems to take a long time on this phone. Part of it has to do with the slow processor, but then again maybe not.”
and about the call quality.
“many times people would have to ask me to repeat myself and I would have to ask them to repeat what they said. ”
and the point of the review is to review the phone as is, like someone would buy it. Why would I go and add Google Widgets etc to the phone when that’s not how it comes?
and the phone is on the Verizon network, so why wouldn’t I mention the service? That’s a big part of the phone itself isn’t it? Or maybe you don’t get a phone to make calls?!
and why would I compare it to the DROID really, when it’s a different phone? different hardware etc
and how is my opinion ‘unfounded’ I’ve used it you would a normal phone and these are the issues that I came across…
and I did mention browser performance, the main fact was that it wouldn’t really work
yes everyone has a different opinion, or a different view of things, and besides how can you even comment when you have no experience with the phone?
and to Duncan:
Well I’m not the only one who doesn’t care for this phone:
PCMagazine gave it a 6 out of 10
Wired gave it a 5 out of 10
Mobiletech gave it a 7 out of 10
that’s just a few I could find quickly, I’m sure there’s more..
I handled this side-by-side with a motorolla droid before buying it a week ago. I would give it more like 8.5/10. It is a well designed, light, and really well made phone. It has great battery life, perhaps the slower cpu is actually helping with that. I haven’t noticed any excessive “lag” when loading programs. The blank page issue in the browser (hilariously) only affects google.com when you first open the browser – entering an address always works though (unless you are having 3D connectivity issues.) All of the gestures became intuitive and reliable after only 2 days of use.
“The pictures were really bad” is kind par for the course with all phones. 5mp in a camera phone will never get you the same quality as a camera with a proper lens. you just can’t get “good” pictures from a mini cam.
Also, my service has been perfect, I don’t know what you are talking about “had to repeat myself” when you say that. In places where my iphone friends can’t even make calls, I’m surfing the web and making crystal clear calls. Sounds even better than my last verizon phone with was really good.
Wow…
I have the Eris & the Droid and I alternate between them both because they have somethings i like and hate in each.
I can say this is probably the most uninformative review i’ve read.
As a owner of the Eris, I’ll say this…
I love the eris’ 7 screens….Easy Customization
The Eris camera, imo, is better than the droids camera…But at the end it is a camera phone not a digital camera…and only 5mp at that
The Eris feels nice in your hand and looks nice…Very Sexy
As far as lag….Yes there is a lag. I mean it’s not OMG THIS IS FUCKING SLOW LAG but it’s still noticeable…..This is why I switch back to the droid because it is faster but to be honest…I’m learning to be more patient because the droid to me is faster but…that’s it….
I can customize the eris right out the box…You have limited customization(3 screens Vs 7) out the box with the droid and have to download other apps just to customize it.
It’s lighter and feels so much better in the hand…
The only major issue about the eris is…
1)Slight Lag…
2) Battery Life is horrid…I carry my charger everywhere
I recommend this phone over the droid not only because it’s cheaper but because it has so many more capabilities then faults than were mentioned in this review.
I rate it 8.8 out of 10 and the droid 7 out of 10
Hopefully this review won’t deter ppl from buying it(and this is not an attack to you) but it seems you focused more on it’s fault then it’s strengths and it has far more strengths then faults